Zaya 1943 Korean Steakhouse

Reviews

• AY

  addie young

  Jul 2, 2026
  5.0
  Our server was amazing! He was very nice and made our food perfectly! I love this place!
• BM

  brian merryfield

  Jul 1, 2026
  5.0
  Quite and low lite atmosphere make it very easy to enjoy a conversation without having to hear the next tables. Amazing food and experience. No where in Chattanooga has a better meat selection.
• MZ

  Miranda Zimmerman

  Jun 26, 2026
  5.0
  My husband and I visited for our 5th Anniversary, we wanted to do something special since we had hit our first little “milestone.” We had Carson as our server/chef, he was so well spoken and walked us through the menu. He had wonderful recommendations and truly made the experience. Everything from the service, the food, and atmosphere was amazing!! We will definitely be back!
• JS

  Jared Saylor

  Jun 16, 2026
  5.0
  This was our first visit to Zaya 1943 Korean Steakhouse in Chattanooga, and it exceeded every expectation we had. The highlight of the evening was our waitress, Nicolette. She is one of the best waitresses I've ever had. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu, extremely personable, and attentive throughout our entire meal. Since Zaya grills the meat tableside, we spent quite a bit of time interacting with her while she cooked, and she made the experience even more enjoyable. She was easy to talk to, engaging, and genuinely made us feel welcome. My wife and I had a great conversation with her, and her service elevated an already fantastic dining experience. For dinner, we ordered the Flame Grilled Feast with unlimited sides and selected both bulgogis—the ribeye and the spicy pork. The meats were tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. The eight banchan sides were equally impressive and added a wonderful variety of flavors and textures to the meal. We also started with the Dry Aged Poppers, and they were phenomenal. The combination of cream cheese and beef paired perfectly with the crispy fried jalapeño, while the gochujang mayo on top took everything to another level. Easily one of the best appetizers we've had in a long time. Between the exceptional food, the interactive tableside grilling experience, and the outstanding service from Nicolette, this was an unforgettable meal. I've visited several Korean steakhouses over the years, and Zaya 1943 now sits at the top of my list. We will absolutely be back the next time we're in Chattanooga.
• CC

  Calvin

  Jun 7, 2026
  3.0
  Got unlucky on service for our first and most likely last experience here. The food is definitely of high quality and the design and atmosphere of the restaurant is top tier. However, we unluckily got someone new to it to prepare our food without someone to assist them for the entire duration. The person who initially was with him showed him how to cook one of the steaks then left shortly after. While our friends next to us had what they were about to have prepared for them explained by their cook, we did not. I had to ask “is this the wagyu?” or “is this the pork?” and he had no idea. He just asked us what all did we order and then said “yeah it’s probably that then.” I don’t blame him at all for not knowing since he was still being trained. I’m more displeased that the restaurant, considering the entire point of this place’s price level and scale compared to other korean bbq areas is because of the service with the server preparing the food instead of it being self serve, chose to send him out alone without someone to fill in any gaps to not let any new diners get hit from any lack of experience. Our friends who are reoccurring customers felt bad for us not getting the usual service they get especially for our first time. It’s a shame as I think if we had the same service they did we would probably come back here but now we have such an average/mid level impression of it that it doesn’t justify the value.

Frequently Asked Questions About Zaya 1943 Korean Steakhouse